Chapter 36: Interested In Remaining Disinterested
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Afterwards, Baba asked Rustom Kaka to sing first a Hindi song he had dictated to Bhau, which Rustom had put to music. More songs by Bhau followed, and a poem of Francis Brabazon's in English, which Rustom Kaka played in Indian strains. At one point Baba interrupted the singing to allow Professor Abdul Karim Khan of Ahmednagar College to recite his Urdu lines in praise of Baba. Baba advised Rustom Kaka to put the lines to music in the form of a ghazal, and he had two records of Saigal's and Ghalib's ghazals played to give Rustom an idea of what he meant.1
Afterward, Baba related this incident: "[Although a Muslim], Ghalib was a regular wine drinker and had once fallen down in a street so drunk that he was arrested and brought to the court. The magistrate coincidentally happened to be his disciple, who imposed a fine on Ghalib but paid it out of his own pocket. Thereupon Ghalib stated:
We were taking loans and spending on drink But we knew someday our penniless state would be exposed.
Baba had dictated these two lines of Ghalib's to Bhau.
Baba asked Dhake if he composed ghazals. Dhake had attempted some years ago but nothing ever came of it. Baba asked the same of Kaka Chinchorkar, who laughed and said he did not know the first thing about writing ghazals. Next in line was Feram who, though he would often pen witty nonsense rhymes, had likewise never attempted ghazals.
At the end of the singing, one by one, the lovers went before Baba to receive his prasad, and each then filed out into the compound where refreshments were served. Baba, too, came out and was with the group for about half an hour.
Baba asked Nusserwan Satha about his charitable institution. (He had been running a school for orphans and destitute children for many years). Baba then called Rajan Tiwari, a nine-year-old boy, before him and motioned to him to recite this couplet of Ghalib's:
Ghalib! Beware before entering the Maikhana [Tavern]! Here, if one is not careful, the turban is whisked off one's head [one's ego is crushed]!
Rajan also recited another couplet. After a few moments, Baba again called him to hear him imitate the Australian cricket commentator on the radio. He did it quite expertly, at which Baba laughed and then kissed Rajan.
At 10:30 A.M., Baba instructed the Ahmednagar group to depart for their homes.
Footnotes
- 1.An Arabic name of God, Ghalib was the pen name of the eminent Persian and Urdu scholar/poet Najmuddaulah Dabirulmulk Mirza Khan (1797–1869).